---
title: "Start an assistant chat"
method: POST
path: "/v1/assistants"
tags: ["Assistant"]
---

# Start an assistant chat

`POST /v1/assistants`

Creates a new project and sends the first message to the VideoGen AI assistant, exactly like typing into the assistant on a new project in the app. Asynchronous: the response contains the `messageId` of the assistant's pending reply (e.g. `vg_mesg_...`). Poll `GET /v1/assistant-messages/{messageId}` until `status` is `succeeded`, `failed`, or `cancelled`, or subscribe to `assistant_message.*` webhooks. Fetch the parent assistant with `GET /v1/assistants/{assistantId}` to list all messages in the chat.

## Request body

- StartAssistantChatRequest
  - `message` string, required — The first message to send to the assistant, exactly as a person would type it into the assistant on a new project.
  - `autoGenerate` boolean — When true, the assistant picks the best workflow for the message and immediately starts generating, skipping the suggestion step. When the assistant message reaches `succeeded`, its `generation` carries the workflow run to poll.

## Response `202`

Assistant message accepted.

- StartAssistantChatResponse — Returned when a `POST /v1/assistants` call is accepted. Poll `messageId` for the pending assistant reply; keep `assistantId` / `projectId` to continue the chat and address the project.
  - `messageId` string, required — Opaque assistant message id for the pending assistant reply (e.g. `vg_mesg_...`). Poll `GET /v1/assistant-messages/{messageId}`.
  - `assistantId` string, required — Opaque assistant chat id (e.g. `vg_asst_...`). Pass to `GET /v1/assistants/{assistantId}` and follow-up message/action calls.
  - `projectId` string, required — Opaque project id for the new chat (e.g. `vg_proj_...`).
  - `projectUrl` string, uri, required — Deep link to open this project in the VideoGen web app.

## Other responses

- `default` — Error

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/videogen/apis/videogen-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/videogen/apis/videogen-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/videogen/videogen-api/revisions/33dda0455d67/schema)